“Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you — Paul's 'mature' (teleioi) are those aligned with his Christ-centered vision. 'Think' (phroneō, have this disposition) should be uniform. 'If in anything you think differently' (ei ti heteronōs phronēite) admits disagreement but frames it as correctable ignorance. 'God will reveal' (apokalyptō) promises divine instruction: truth emerges through God's action, not debate. This is magnanimous: Paul trusts God to align all minds.
Church Fathers on Philippians 3:16
“Only, whereunto we have already attained, by that same rule let us walk, let us mind the same thing.” “Only, whereunto we have attained.” What means this? Let us hold fast, he says, that in which we have succeeded; love, concord, and peace: for in this we have succeeded. “Whereto we have attained: to walk by the same rule, to mind the same thing.” “Whereunto we have attained,” i.e. in this we have already succeeded. Do you see, that he wills that his precepts should be a…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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